"Accidental" Revelation

Sheesh.

Just when you think you've got it all figured out. Just when you think "Life is great." Thats when it hits you. Literally in my case. But I digress. Allow the story to unfold...

6:30pm - Yeshiva
So there I was. We had just finished Maariv, and I hadn't had a bite to eat since breakfast. I take off my hat and jacket, drape it over my chair, and turn to Meir. I ask him if he wants to go get a burger at Jeff's. His face lights up and he agrees. So we pile into the Jeep, order on the way, and have a nice chat while crusin' the LA city streets.

7:30pm - Jeffs Gourmet
I dab at the corners of my mouth with a napkin, relishing the feeling of being full. It doesn't happen very often in Yeshiva. Meir and I bentch, and get up to go, taking our drinks with us. On the way home, we stop off at Ralphs, to pick up Vanilla Cherry Dr. Pepper for Levi - His newest craving.

8:05pm - Corner of Waring and LaBrea
I'm waiting to turn left. The light turns yellow, then red. I let up on the clutch, and push down on the accelerator, the car lurches forward... Everything happens very quickly from that point on. I see a red BMW speeding through the intersection. Meir shouts something and throws up his hands. I slam on the breaks. Screeching. A crash. Silence.

8:07pm - Corner of Waring and LaBrea
"You might want to come on over here...." I hang up with Levi and turn to stare in bewilderment at the scene in front of me. Pieces of the red BMW litter the road. The driver - a 19 year old girl - emerges from her car on her razor cell phone, tosses her bleached blonde hair over her shoulder, and inspects her car. Meir has already done that, and is bending over in front of me, trying to figure out how the only damage on our car is a small scratch under the headlight, while her car is dented and scratched all along the side... I hear a steady beating up above. I look up and see the helicopter. For a wild moment, I imagine it's there for us... Then I realize a small fender bender in LA doesn't attract that much attention. It's freezing cold for a Floridian, and my fingers find it hard to push the little buttons to dial my parents number. They answer on the second ring. I begin by telling them I'm ok... Meanwhile Levi has arrived and is busying himself with taking pictures of the scene. Things begin to speed up again. The girl wants our insurance information. "Can we hurry this up," she asks impatiently, "I have friends waiting for me."

Levi taps me on the shoulder. Hes got his cell phone held to his ear. Dimly I remember telling him to call the police. He tells me the cops wont come unless there is bodily damage or damage to public property. I nod distractedly, trying to copy down all the girls information. All the while, following hurriedly whispered instructions by my mother, who is on the other end of the cell phone cradled inbetween my arm and my shoulder. The girl is talking on Meir's phone, as hers has just died. She lowers it and tells me her lawyer is on his way. I nod distractedly while my mother implores me not to say anything to the lawyer...

9:00pm - Corner of Waring and LaBrea
A small silver car pulls up, and a sleazy guy extracts himself from the drivers seat, while a woman wearing too much makeup emerges from the passenger side. They make their way over to us. The woman makes a big fuss over the girl, and hugs her. The lawyer sticks out his big beefy hand, introduces himself as Ramirez, and immediately begins prying for information. Meir handles him well. Meanwhile the painted woman is trying to soften us up. Throwing out Hebrew and Yiddish words, telling us she loves Jews. I silently hand my cell phone to the lawyer - My mother is still on the line. He discusses the situation with her, and, realizing he's not going to get anything out of any of us, and seeing that we have already exchanged information, decides to leave. They all do. The lawyer oozes into his car, and drives off. The painted woman stays with the girl, and they drive off too. Levi begins walking back to Yeshiva, and Meir makes for the passenger seat of the car. I take one last look around, get in the car, turn the key in the ignition, and drive off to find a parking spot...

9:15pm - Dorm Room
My head hits the pillow, and I whisper a silent thanks to G-d. Now I begin to pray she doesn't file a claim...

Sometimes I think G-d does these things to remind us how powerless we really are. To show us he runs the world, and dont you forget it. Well thank G-d this was a minor accident. No one was hurt, and its over. As my Bubbe always said "It should be a kapporah."

Amen.